Bravo lambastes CWI player treatment

Outspoken all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has written off the present crop of Cricket West Indies (CWI) leadership, and says there is desperate need for a new kind of thinking in order to save the next generation of cricketers.

Speaking against the backdrop of the latest fracas between CWI and the players, the former one-day skipper said the board had a history of mistreatment of players and this could only change if there was a wholesale shake-up at the top level of the administration.

"I am just concerned about the next generation of cricketers. West Indies have a history of treating players [badly]," a passionate Bravo told I95FM Radio here.

"They treated players badly before my time, they treated players badly during my time and ... it's just a history of treating players badly. And players always get the blame, and when a player does not perform he gets dropped, and that's it.

"Do you hear anybody getting sacked or resigning [from the board]? The best coach (Phil Simmons) West Indies had in how much years, the only coach that players loved and were dying to play for, West Indies sacked him because he stood up for the players."

Bravo, who is currently playing in the Australia Big Bash, said the future of West Indies cricket was bleak, and stressed that the Dave Cameron-led administration was incapable of turning around the situation.

The major problem, the 34-year-old argued, was the need for "new blood", pointing out that the current leadership had already been in place for an extended period, and had little results to show.

"They're not being paid well, one, and the system is terrible, so the future of West Indies is cricket is in a very bad state; and those who are in charge now, they cannot help. West Indies need a new blood of thinking, they need new people.

Controversy erupted last Thursday when chief selector Courtney Browne said the senior quartet of Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo and Andre Russell had declined selection for the upcoming ICC World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

In a statement, Browne said they had reached out to the players who had "indicated that they were unavailable to help us qualify as their priority was playing in the Pakistan Super League".

CWI President Cameron said the board was "very disappointed" by the players' decision, adding "we'll probably not invite those players to be a part of Cricket West Indies going forward".